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“Are we done avoiding each other?” I asked

I meant it as a joke, but it oing to need to be

“Yes,” she said She hesitated for a second, shifting where she sat on the couch “Uh We need to talk”

A joke about the way she said that formed in my mouth It sounded like she was about to break up with one on a date, it wouldn’t have been a very effective breakup Fortunately, this ti to say before it caue before they caone over well, especially considering the strained, nervous look I now noticed on her face

I picked up my coffee and turnover and walked over to sit beside her on the couch Breaking the turnover in half, I held a piece of it out to her She took it but didn’t bite into it Instead, she let it sit in her lap as she looked around like she was searching for what she was going to say next I didn’t push Obviously, there was so a way to say it Asinive her the tiht way Finally, she let out a sigh and looked at me resolutely

“I’s like this,” she offered, almost like a disclaimer

“Not good at doing what?” I asked, suddenly feeling dread for?”

She laughed, but the sound didn’t have any happiness in it

“I almost wish I was,” she said “At least I’ve done that before, and it would probably be easier than this But no I love working here and don’t intend on leaving” She straightened her spine and let out another breath “What I s I have a really hard ti them out there for soe to me”

“What do you mean?” I asked

“Let’s just sayeverybody who knewbad choices Really bad choices” She pauses for a second, her eyes widening slightly as she looked off into the distance like she was reliving some of those unfortunate htly as if cos After ave up on ured I would just do this whole life thing on my own

“It was just easier to think about being alone As sad as it was and astheir partners and getting , that just wasn’t going to happen for me It wasn’t worth the stress and coo through all that over and over again just to getto devote le”

Just sitting there listening to her was so hard I struggled to keep my hands toher I wanted to comfort her and let her knoas there for her and she could trust me But I didn’t I continued to listen and stayed still exactly where I was She needed this Merry needed the opportunity to express everything that was going on inside her head and know she was being heard Finally, she finished it and let out a big breath

“Anyway,” she said “I just want to say I’ at least fifty percent at fault for all our problems It’s not totally your fault I don’t want you to think that I mean, I know you think that Everybody around you isn’t exactlyit easy for you, and I’m sorry about that, too I am absolutely to blame for the whole mess, too Because we never talked And that’s what I want to do I want us to talk now”

I figured she was finished because she looked down at her hands and see the half a turnover Tearing off a corner, she popped it into herso